Health experts and policymakers have called for increased investment in post-discharge follow-up care, skilled healthcare professionals, neonatal facilities and integrated referral systems to reduce preventable deaths and long-term complications among premature and low-birth-weight newborns in Bangladesh.
The call came at a policy dialogue titled “Strengthening Care for Preterm and Low Birth Weight Newborns in Bangladesh” held in Dhaka on Sunday to mark World Prematurity Day 2026. The event was organised by UNICEF and Dhaka Tribune.
In his keynote presentation, Dr Dewan Md Emdadul Haque of UNICEF said Bangladesh records around 600,000 premature births annually out of 3.6–3.7 million total births. Nearly 67% of under-five deaths occur during the neonatal period, while prematurity and low birth weight account for an estimated 32% of under-five deaths.
He identified four major challenges to ensuring quality care: inadequate capacity in Special Care Newborn Units (SCANUs) and neonatal intensive care units (NICUs); limited respiratory support equipment, such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines; weak referral and transportation systems; and shortages of trained staff, alongside difficulties in equipment maintenance.
He also noted that community-based Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) services remain limited to 10 intervention districts, while follow-up care for discharged newborns through the government's DHIS2 platform has yet to reach the desired level.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), KMC is an evidence-based, life-saving method of caring for preterm and low-birth-weight newborns through continuous or frequent skin-to-skin contact and exclusive breastfeeding.
Dr Haque called for stronger antenatal care, improved maternal nutrition, expanded neonatal services and an integrated referral and post-discharge follow-up system connecting hospitals with community healthcare providers.
Around 16.2% of births in Bangladesh are premature, accounting for nearly 500,000 births annually. Complications associated with prematurity and low birth weight claim the lives of three newborns every hour.
Speakers stressed that saving premature babies' lives must be followed by sustained care after they leave hospitals, including regular health check-ups, nutritional support, growth monitoring and developmental assessments.
Dr Malalay Ahmadzai, chief of health (officiating and deputy representative) at UNICEF, said prematurity was not merely a healthcare issue but also a matter of development, human capital, equity and social justice.
She emphasised the need for government-led newborn services backed by sustainable public financing and government-managed information systems. She also called for stronger health systems and greater collaboration to ensure quality care throughout the continuum, from pregnancy to postnatal follow-up.
Dr Sharmin Sultana Urmi of Save the Children highlighted the need for an integrated neonatal referral and transportation system connecting public and private healthcare facilities.
She said an effective referral system required real-time information on hospital bed availability, facility readiness, trained personnel and properly equipped ambulances capable of transporting vulnerable newborns. Without better coordination, families often have to move between hospitals in search of available beds, delaying critical treatment.
Dhaka Tribune News Editor Anando Mostofa, who moderated the policy dialogue, said Bangladesh had made significant progress in maternal and newborn healthcare, but challenges remained in ensuring quality treatment, skilled staff, effective referrals and post-discharge follow-up.
He stressed that the goal should not be limited to saving premature newborns but should also include ensuring their healthy growth and development through sustained care.
Dr Ridwana Maher Manna, research investigator at the Maternal and Child Health Division of icddr,b, stressed the importance of linking hospital-based KMC with community healthcare services.
She suggested introducing digital reminders for scheduled follow-up visits, identifying the reasons for missed appointments and strengthening family-centred counselling to encourage parents to seek timely care.
She also referred to research conducted by icddr,b and Projahnmo Foundation, which highlighted the effectiveness of immediate KMC alongside special newborn care while identifying challenges related to bed capacity, space and infection prevention.
WHO's Dr Md Nurul Islam Khan called for a life-course approach to preventing premature births, beginning with adolescent health, nutrition and family planning and continuing through quality antenatal care and safe delivery.
He stressed the need to increase antenatal care coverage from four visits to eight, address the approximately 50% vacancy rate in the field-level health workforce and ensure dedicated personnel for newborn care. He also called for adequate budget allocations and clear administrative responsibilities for implementing and monitoring maternal and newborn health services.
Prof Dr Dilara Alo, professor of neonatology at the Centre for Medical Education in Dhaka, emphasised the need for investment in financial resources, skilled manpower and management.
She proposed establishing an online monitoring system to regularly collect data on newborn admissions, treatment outcomes and deaths, enabling policymakers to identify gaps and improve services.
Bangladesh has expanded KMC services from 57 facilities in 2018 to more than 460 in 2024. However, speakers said shortages of trained staff, inadequate equipment, limited specialised care and weak follow-up mechanisms continue to undermine progress.
They stressed that stronger investment and coordinated action are essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal target of reducing neonatal mortality to 12 deaths per 1,000 live births by 2030.